(03/33) TRENTON - Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell
today announced new policies to expedite the cleanup of
contaminated sites in New Jersey and to implement a Brownfield
Development Area Initiative that will help guide remedial
work in communities with multiple contaminated areas.

"Environmental progress at many contaminated
sites has been seriously hindered by technical disagreements
with some companies performing remedial work and by the
recalcitrance of others to follow regulatory requirements,"
said DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. "Our new
policies will result in faster cleanups and require improved
performance by companies investigating and cleaning up our
natural resources."

A newly formed Technical Review Panel will
help resolve disputes between the regulated community and
the Department that impede cleanup work at contaminated
sites. For example, the panel will expedite resolution of
disagreements about testing methods and cleanup strategies
to allow remedial work to progress.

In addition to the technical panel, DEP
established a new review process for documents submitted
by parties conducting investigation and cleanup work at
contaminated sites that will require strict compliance with
all remediation regulations. DEP will reject substandard
plans and reports before progressing with a full review
of a proposal.

DEP also created an Office of Accountability
to track regulatory non-compliance on rejected reports.
The data will help determine appropriate enforcement action
when needed.

"Substandard proposals to clean up
sites present environmental and public health risks, and
consume a disproportionate amount of DEP staff time,"
said Commissioner Campbell. "These delays cause unfair
backlogs of other projects awaiting DEP review, and create
an economic burden for developers and other companies."

Under the Brownfield Development Area Initiative,
DEP adopted formal guidelines for the design and implementation
of remediation and reuse plans for multiple contaminated
properties to ensure the work occurs in a coordinated fashion.
These guidelines expand upon a pilot project for communities
impacted by multiple brownfields that include neighborhoods
in Elizabeth, Trenton and Camden.

"Promoting reuse in communities to
make them safer and more livable holds great promise for
residents in towns across the state and is an essential
component of smart growth. I look forward to working with
community leaders to help identify properties that could
benefit from this novel approach," said Commissioner
Campbell.

The brownfield initiative provides a framework
and resources to empower affected neighborhoods to address
these difficult sites where additional assistance may be
needed. No additional regulatory requirements on properties
within the Brownfield Development Areas will be imposed.

DEP is working with other involved agencies
and offices, including the New Jersey Economic Development
Authority, Office of Smart Growth and Commerce and Economic
Development Commission to implement the Brownfield Development
Area Initiative.